In its hey-day, this location was home to the Thomas Vineyard
Company Winery which is located on the famous Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga. Prior to the Thomas Vineyard Company, AKA
Cucamonga Winery, this location still proudly features a number of the historic
monuments to the original owner Don Tiburcio Tapia and the original wine barrel
from 1849 (The oldest winery in California) that is visible from Foothill
Blvd., and a historic Mission Bell recognizing the famous El Camino Real 1789
& 1906.
Cucamonga's
first large planting was in 1838 at the Cucamonga Rancho by Spanish land grant
that was deeded to Don Tiburcio Tapia. In
1859 rancher John Rains began large vine plantings (over 125,000) in Cucamonga
and started a revolution by introducing agriculture on a large scale to replace
cattle and sheep raising. By 1917, Secondo Guasti was advertising his vineyard
as, "The Largest in the World." Cucamonga-Guasti vineyards spanned
over 20,000 acres. Prohibition which should have hurt the Cucamonga Wine
Industry during Prohibition (1919 – 1933) but due to a small variance, local vintner’s
could produce sacramental wine as well as wine for personal use and were able
to operate at a reduced production.
The Cucamonga Winery was started by Alfred
Accomazzo and his brother Eduardo Accomazzo after Prohibition in 1933. The
Cucamonga Winery is closely connected with the founding of the city of
Cucamonga, California. The Accomazzo brothers came to the United States from
San Desiderio in the “Asti “region of Piedmont in northwest Italy at the
turn of the century, 1902.
This previous winery location while historically was a landmark
for people traveling the original Route 66, continues that legacy as an anchor
for Cucamonga businesses. This stop was
the half-way mark on route from Palm Springs to Los Angeles and was where
customers migrated to in search of purchasing cases of wine from this
region. The Thomas Winery Plaza retains
the charm and pays homage to the past by preserving the rich history of the
wine making business in the Cucamonga Valley.
What is your favorite memory of the Cucamonga Winery AKA Thomas
Winery? Please comment below.
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